The invention relates to a screwdriver adapter, with a drive part which fits a screwdriver and with a nut-shaped element containing a tool driving means for driving in a screw having a drive portion that can be broken off, twisted off or torn off by intentional overtorquing, the nut-shaped element being provided with a channel extending from the tool driving means.
To create an overtorquing safeguard for screws, or in other words a firm seat for screws without causing damage to the threaded region, the possibility is provided among others that the drive portion of a screw or an appropriate part of the drive portion is broken off, twisted off or torn off during final setting of a screw, whereupon the setting process is ended. Usually such an overtorquing safeguard is created by providing a predetermined breaking point. The drive portions broken off, twisted off or torn off in this case cannot be left simply to be around thereafter, regardless of the type of processing, since damage to the surface of the fastened workpieces or coverings disposed thereover can ensure under certain circumstances.
From European Patent Application EP 0723086 A there is already known a screwdriver adapter which is provided with a drive part to fit a screwdriver and a nut-shaped element constituting a tool driving means. This adapter for driving in a screw is provided with a drive portion that can be broken off, twisted off or torn off by intentional overtorquing. The nut-shaped element is provided with a channel extending from the tool driving means, through which channel a drive portion broken off from a screw can fall out, first in axial direction and then in radial direction. At the rear end of the nut-shaped element provided with the tool driving means there is disposed a free space, which is open over an angle of more than 180.degree., so that the broken-off drive portion can fall out freely after exiting the channel.